


From the Ground Up

by helplessly_nonstop



Category: WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Angst, Braun and Kevin are the best friends a girl could ask for, Don't read if you're an AJ stan, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Marked Mature for the angst, Panic Attacks, because he's a bad dude in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-10
Packaged: 2021-01-27 05:10:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21386635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helplessly_nonstop/pseuds/helplessly_nonstop
Summary: Reader owns her ranch and Elias gets hired on as a farmhand. This is angst with a bit of fluff. You have been warned.
Relationships: Elias Samson/Reader, Elias Samson/You, Implied AJ/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	From the Ground Up

"Hey kiddo, you ready to do this!?” Braun called out to me as I locked the barn door for the night, giving my horse, Nutmeg a final pat on the back before letting her rest. I turned and grinned, letting out a whoop of excitement then raced towards my friends. Drew snagged me by my waist and twirled me before I crowed,”Stop, we’re gonna be late and you know that Hunter hates when we’re late!” 

Laughter peeled around me as we hurried to get situated in the two trucks for tonight’s event. I was a bull rider but couldn’t travel due to the fact that I was keeping my family’s legacy alive. We began pulling away when Bayley waved a hand at me, shouting, ”Hat?” I reached a hand out my window and Kevin threw it to me, my fingers barely snagging it. 

With a tight grip on the black material, I swung it into the cab of the truck, slipping it onto my head. I turned to Drew who shook his head and muttered, ”Ye and dat damn hat.” I grinned in response then cranked up the radio, singing along with the current song playing. Sarah laughed at my ridiculousness then joined in on my antics, thoroughly driving Drew to his demise. 

When we arrived at the rodeo, he stumbled out of the truck and cried out,”Freedom!” Kevin, Bayley, and Braun laughed at his exclamation then we walked towards the arena where my “agent”, Hunter Helmsley, was pacing a hole into the dirt. I snickered and jogged over to join him. 

“Oh thank god you’re here! You’re up in twenty minutes and you’re riding Hydro.” I stared at him for a moment then took a deep breath. Hydro was a Hereford bull that weighed about a thousand and three hundred pounds with horns about two feet long. He was the biggest bull in the league and only two people had been able to stay on for the eight seconds needed to succeed. 

I nodded in understanding and met Kevin and Braun near the pin. Kevin Owens and Braun Strowman had been family friends since I was knee high to a grasshopper and when my grandparents passed, they stuck around to keep the farm thriving. They were the crazy bastards who encouraged me to chase my dreams of being a bull rider. 

“Hey killer, who you riding tonight?” Kevin asked, swinging his arm around my shoulders. I glanced up and murmured,”Hydro.” He sucked in a breath then slid away, stating,”And just like that, you’ve been demoted from murderer to murderee.” 

I climbed up on the gate and hung my head, muttering,”I’m going to die. He’s going to tap dance all over my ribs.” Braun rubbed my back and assured me,”No, no, you’ve got this, kiddo.” 

“Nah, he’s going to break dance on your ass. You’ll be feeling it for a while.” Kevin cut in, patting me on the back. I groaned, rubbing at my eyes, then Bayley and Sarah raced to meet us, the two of them rushing out,”Watch this new guy ride!” 

“New guy? Who is he?” I asked, turning to face the arena as my favorite rodeo clown, Karl Anderson, braced himself to yank open the door to let loose the beast and his new rider for eight seconds. 

“Name’s Elias Samson. Guess he just moved here from Philly.” Bayley informed us and almost in unison, our noses crinkled up. We hated having new people in general but when they were city slickers? It made it a thousand times worse. 

The only reason why we accepted Drew was because he had experience in roping and riding horses, something that we desperately needed. After AJ left, it was a bit difficult to handle the horses, so Drew was a perfect fit for the job. That and he had a cool accent but we never told him that part. 

But when we watched the young buck ride, it was a different story. He rocked with the bucks of the bull, almost gliding with the force. It was something that I wasn’t expecting out of a Philly man. 

“Hey, buttercup, you need to go ahead and get ready.” Sarah stated, patting me on my thigh. I leapt off the fence and braced for the impact, my spurs letting out a small chime as they dug into the dirt. I walked into my small, written off area then pulled my hat off before tugging my vest over my head. 

“Hi sugar.” I paused in pulling my glove on then turned to see the new rider leaning against my doorway. I raised an eyebrow then fit my hat back onto my head as I stated,”New guy. How’s it goin’?” He sucked in his bottom lip then informed me,”Took away seventy five points on my first night so…” I hummed in acknowledgement then fixed my chaps as I said,”Well congrats, young buck, but that’s nothing.” He laughed and a shiver raced through my body as he did so, then I heard, ”(Y/N) (Y/L/N) to the arena, (Y/N) (Y/L/N) to the arena.” I tipped my hat at him then stated,”See ya around, young buck.” 

I rushed to meet my team waiting for my arrival then Kevin and Braun grabbed my arms, yanking me up onto the gate before Bayley appeared, stating,”Alright, you are the only person riding Hydro tonight so you just need to last the eight seconds and get out of there before you get stomped on.” 

“Bays, that’s not a very good pep talk.” Sarah informed her girlfriend, patting her on the back. Karl peeked his head up then stated,”You’re gonna do great, kid.” I gave him a small smile then thanked him before winding my hand tightly in place. Braun looked down at me then said, ”When you get bucked off, you scramble like eggs in a hot skillet, you got me?” I nodded in agreement then braced against the bull, giving him a small pat on the back. 

Karl yanked open the door and out Hydro flew, bucking wildly. I gasped then tightened my grip, tensing my arm as my free hand hooked to my belt loop, forcing it to my side as he twisted and bucked around. In… Out… Repeat… Just need to last eight seconds. I leaned with his bucks, waiting for his next spin then watched as his legs flailed momentarily then he twisted once again, trying his damnedest to knock me away. 

As Hydro spun again, I dug my right spur into his side and he slowed his speed, only for him to pick up again. I tightened my thighs around him, listening to my chaps squeak quietly then a whistle blew over my head, alerting me that I survived my eight seconds. Now I just needed to clear the danger zone. 

I glanced over my shoulder then swung my leg over his head as he spun again, releasing my rope before I landed on my hands and knees, racing towards where my team was waiting. They pulled me upwards, freeing me from the angry bull. Drew pulled my hat off and ruffled my hair, chirping, ”Helluva ride dere, lil dove! Proud of ye!” I grinned at him then I waited for the announcer to inform the crowd and I of my score. 

“(Y/N) (Y/L/N) on Hydro has scored a ninety three.” The crowd roared with its approval and I let out a screech, ecstatic with my results. We exited the pen area and joined Hunter on the ground who congratulated me on the good work. I grinned at him then we walked back towards the trucks, ready to call it a night. I knew that Sarah and Bayley had found us a new farm hand who would be willing to help around the place and he was supposed to be at the farm bright and early.

“Hey, sugar, leavin’ so soon?” I turned on my heel then stated,”Hey, young buck, good to see ya again. Didja happen to see me?” 

“Yep. You did good.” I blinked a few times at him then he grinned, stating,”Kidding, I’m kidding. You did great. Never seen anyone take on such a big bull and get such a good score.” 

“Well you are a city slicker so that might explain a few things.” His eyes widened at my statement then Drew jogged up to me, wrapping an arm around my waist as he asked,”Ye ready ta go, luvey?” I raised my head and smiled at him, stating,”Yeah, just gimme a bit.” He kissed me on the temple then went back to the truck, the engine roaring to life. Elias gave me a small smile then said,”Well, I'll see you around, sugar.”

I nodded in agreement then joined Sarah and Drew in the truck, following Braun,Kevin, and Bayley out of the arena’s makeshift parking lot. I still needed to take a shower to wash away the dirt and sweat that the night had gifted me with, not to mention I still had horses and cattle to check on before I went to bed. 

I pulled my comforter over my head then groaned when I realized that the sun was up which meant that the new farmhand would be here anytime soon if he was punctual. I crawled out of bed reluctantly then joined Braun and Sarah downstairs who was drinking coffee while Bayley made French toast for what looked like an army. 

“Has anyone heard from this new guy?” Kevin asked, claiming the second to last cup of coffee that had been poured for everyone as he passed the island. I shook my head then Bayley chirped,”Yeah he’ll be here soon. He got lost.” 

Everyone but Sarah looked up at our favorite brunette then Braun asked,”He got lost? What, he’s not from around here or somethin’?” She shook her head and informed us,”No, he moved from a big city, said he always wanted to move south.” Scoffs sounded then we passed the large platter of French toast around, our group choosing however many pieces they pleased when the doorbell rang. 

Bayley’s head snapped up then she called out, ”Coming, hang on!” She twisted her apron around and it flapped behind her in protest as she ran towards the door to let the new guy in. But the rest of us were so focused on becoming lively for the day, we didn’t even register who was standing in the kitchen doorway leading in from the front door. 

“Well do I get breakfast too?” Forks clattered to the plates and Kevin choked on his current bite, Sarah pounding on his back while the rest of us turned to face our new farm hand. 

“Young buck. When you said that you’d see me around, I wasn’t thinkin’ you’d see me this soon.” I admitted, wiping my hands off. He grinned, shaking my outstretched hand, and stated,”Ehh, I figured I’d surprise you today instead of telling you yesterday.” 

“Well color us surprised then.” Braun rumbled, returning to eating. My lifelong friend hated new people and understandably so. In this day and age, there’s no telling who you can trust. Elias gave a tight smile then shot a nervous glance to Bayley who offered,”Go ahead and sit down, have some breakfast. There’s plenty to go around.” 

Elias began pulling the chair out from beside me and we all shared a knowing look then Drew rumbled from the hallway entrance,”Dat's ma seat.” The new guy turned to face the Scotsman as he grabbed his cup of coffee, ruffling Bayley’s hair affectionately then kissed me on the crown of my head, claiming his seat. Elias ended up between Kevin and Braun then I grimaced as the two began talking around him. 

Oh Lord, here we go with the hazing. 

“Boys, quit your talkin’ and eat your breakfast.” Bayley snipped, sliding a plate full of bacon and sausage beside the French toast platter. I glanced around at my comrades then cried out,”Bull rider of ninety three gets first pick!” 

“You lil heathen.” Drew rumbled as Braun exclaimed,”Like hell you do!” And just like that, the three of us were engaged in a battle of forks for the best looking bacon and sausage. Laughter roared around us then I stabbed two pieces of sausage links, giving a shout of victory. 

“So young buck, whatdya think about our little town round here?” I asked before taking a bite of my prize, passing the plate of breakfast meats around.   
“It’s cute, I think I’m gonna like it here.” We all nodded in agreement and as we were cleaning up, Baron Corbin, my next door neighbor rushed into the house and shouted,” Cows are loose!” 

“Fuck!” we cried out, scrambling to slide our boots on then I darted out the door with Elias hot on my heels. I leaped off the porch and snagged my rope hanging off the railing then whistled at Nutmeg, who was thankfully in the mood to listen to me. She trotted towards me then I swung onto her back as Baron’s dog, Xavier came racing around the cows that had escaped the half broken gate. 

Elias opened the pen door for me to lead Nutmeg out after I fitted the rope into the loops of her halter then rode out to round up the miscellaneous cows. Braun kept a watchful eye on the rest of the cattle while Bayley helped me herd the loose ones back in their pen. 

I let Nutmeg back in her pen then turned to Elias, stating,”Your first order of business here? Fix the gate.” He nodded in agreement then I turned to Kevin, asking,”Can you show him where to find the field fence and tools? I’ve got to go work with Order.”

Order was a Belgian Draft stallion who was given to the farm by AJ as a parting gift. He was a skittish, not so little thing who stood at eighteen hands. I had his sister, Law, in a stall across from Nutmeg in the barn and because Order was such a large horse, we had to knock down the wall to his neighboring stall, letting him have the reign of the two. 

Kevin nodded in understanding then I grabbed the strawberries from the fridge that I had picked yesterday from the garden before walking into the barn where Order watched me with unsure eyes. I shook the bowl of fruit then slid into the pen with an outstretched strawberry to him. He took it from me gently then I smiled, grabbing the brush. 

About three hours passed and I was finally able to put the saddle on, but he refused to let me buckle it. 

I rubbed at his nose then Elias stated,”He’s beautiful.” I smiled up at him then replied,”Yeah, he is. He’s also a stubborn one.” Order nickered in protest and I could have sworn that he had rolled his eyes at me then I said,”You’re welcome to give him a strawberry. I’m about to let him out with Nutmeg and Law for a bit, get him to relax some.” 

He snagged one of the red fruits then offered it up to the stallion, who gladly took it, nearly chomping down on Elias’ fingers. I laughed at the surprise on my new farm hand’s face then said,”Alright, come on, let’s get this guy out in the pasture.” 

A full month had passed since Elias had rolled into town and proved his worth to the farm. Order had finally allowed me to buckle the saddle and take him on the trail around the river as long as someone else was riding Law with us. 

“Hey, dove, I have to go into town, I forgot the stuff to finish dinner.” Bayley informed me with a remorseful expression. 

“But.. but you’re supposed to go on the trail with me today.” I said, my tone becoming sadder with each word. She gave my hand a squeeze then stated,”I know! But I forgot that I needed to go to the store.” 

“Hey, is everything okay?” Elias asked, entering from the outside where he had been cleaning stalls. I sighed and hung my head, informing,”I can’t take Order on the trail today cause Bayley has to go into town.” He paused where he was finishing washing his hands then he offered,”Well, I could go with you.” Bayley and I turned to stare at him at the mention of his idea then he finished, ”Sarah’s been giving me lessons on my free days. I’m pretty good with Law.” 

My brunette friend shot me a knowing look then I agreed,”Alright, but if you’re not ready to go in the next ten minutes, I’m leavin’ your sorry ass.” He grinned, drying off his hands, then stated, ”Let’s get going then.” We saddled up the horses and led them out of the pen, mounting up outside to prevent Nutmeg from panicking.   
The first half of the trail was silent, with just the clicks of the horses’ hooves hitting the ground, then Elias asked,”So what’s the deal between you and Drew?” My head snapped over to him as we came to a stop at the river to give the horses a drink of water and rest for a bit. 

“I’m not sure whatcha mean.” I muttered, settling on a large rock after I tied Order to the big oak tree beside the bank. He raised an eyebrow at me and questioned,”Is that so? I mean are you guys together, dating, fucking?” I scoffed, rolling my eyes, then I replied,”None of the above. Drew and I are just friends.” He laughed and settled beside me as he stated,”With the way that man looks at you, I’m surprised you haven’t noticed it.” I raised an eyebrow as I settled beside him then questioned, “Oh yeah? And how does he look at me?” 

“Like you’re a five course meal that he’s ready to devour.” Elias informed, cupping his hands together to get some water to drink. I laughed at his statement then muttered,”Yeah, alright, pal.” My phone began ringing in my saddle bag and I reached inside, checking the screen, raising an eyebrow when I realized that it was Sarah calling me. 

“Hey, girlie, what’s up?” 

“AJ and Luke is here.” I ended the call quickly then rushed out,”We have to go, we have to go now.” He gave a questioning glance but mounted Law without a protest nonetheless. We quickly picked up our speed riding on the trail then when we arrived at the ranch, I immediately noticed the big truck sitting in my driveway. I led Order back into his stall and he neighed in protest, so I gave him a sugar cube so he would keep quiet. 

I exited the barn and brushed my jeans off, approaching the front of the house where Kevin, Sarah, and Braun stood with hatred burning in their eyes. I approached them and settling on the porch swing, asking,”Styles, to what do we owe this not so pleasurable visit?” He turned to face me, his familiar arrogance crossing his expression as he smiled at me. 

“My my, little dove, you are lookin’ prettier as you age. But comin’ to sweep ya back off ya feet isn’t why I’m here. I’ve got a fine offer for ya, if you’re willin’ to take it.” I gritted my teeth then forced back my well thought out murder scenario with AJ as the star victim before I replied,”I’ve already told you and your head honcho right there; I’m not looking to sell the ranch.” He sighed, in faux disappointment, and stated, ”Three years and you’re still not giving up on this damn place? What gives?”   
“I’m not a sellout.” I snapped, stepping toe-to-toe with the smug Georgia man. He let out a fully belly laugh then replied,”Oh trust me, sweetheart, I’m well aware of that. But just be cautious of the company you keep. There’s no tellin’ where a snake might be lyin’.” His blue eyes danced across the faces of my friends then turned back to me.

“Too fucking bad you didn’t give her that advice sooner. Could’ve avoided you like the plague you are.” Kevin bit out, cracking his knuckles in warning. Luke gave a sarcastic laugh then rumbled,”I’ll crush you like a pancake, Owens.” 

“Then step to it, Gallows.” Braun growled in response, raising an eyebrow as a challenge or even a warning perhaps. I slid between the men then shoved AJ backwards, spitting,”Get the hell off my property, Styles, before I call in the Sheriff and you know damn good and well that Shawn is still pissed at you.” 

His lips twitched to fight back the anger that was beginning to seep through his exterior then he stepped backwards, taking Gallows with him, calling over his shoulder,”You have a nice night now, dove.” 

“You lost the privilege to call me that three years ago, you son of a bitch!” I snapped, beginning to charge at him when Elias appeared and scooped me up by the waist, yanking me backwards as he crowed, ”Hang on there, sugar, no need to go for the soccer mom’s head.” Styles’ blue eyes flickered with annoyance at the side comment that my farm hand made then hopped into his truck, driving off like a bat out of hell. 

“Sonuvabitch is just lucky that Bayley wasn’t here. She’s been itchin’ to claw his eyes out for the betta part of three years now.” Braun mumbled as he, Sarah, and Kevin made their way back up to the house, the taller man tucking his leather gloves into his back pocket. Noncommittal mumbles answered the North Carolina man’s statement then I glanced down, realizing that Elias still had me by the waist, my feet dangling a good six inches from the ground. I glanced up at the hazel eyed man then murmured, “You plan on lettin’ me down anytime soon?” He looked down at me and gave a sheepish grin, settling me back on the ground as he apologized, “Oh, I’m sorry, my bad. Um… so who was that dick anyway?” 

I stared at where AJ’s truck had left minute ruts in my grass then replied, “No one important.” I stepped away from him and asked, “Would you mind putting away the horses? I forgot that I have a few things that I had to sort out for Hunter and if I don’t get it down by Wednesday for my meeting, I think he might just grow his hair long again, just so he can rip it right back out.” 

We laughed briefly then separated. As soon as Elias was out of sight, I raced up to the house and snagged a bottle of water from the fridge, chugging nearly the entire thing as Sarah asked, “You’re not going to tell him who he is, are you?” I settled the fourth of water back on the counter and stared at the marbling of the island as I answered, “I really don’t know.” 

Braun sighed, pulling out the rum and pineapple juice, stating, “Well, that’s your prerogative but I’m gonna go ahead and say this: that boy’s eyes get bigger than the moon when you’re around and I do believe that you’d be a good match for that boy out there.” I watched out the kitchen window as Elias rushed to help a freshly returned Bayley with groceries. It was obvious that my old friend had seen AJ and Luke leaving the property as she pulled into the driveway.

“Yeah… I know. That’s what I’m afraid of.” 

We ended up settling in for the night with a couple decks of cards and alcohol to ease the tension that the two snakes had drug into the ranch house. 

“This was a terrible decision.” Bayley hiccupped after our third game of Kings. We played with two decks of cards, since there were so many of us, and the young brunette had unfortunately been paired with Elias as a mate when he drew the eight of diamonds. He had somehow managed to draw the majority of the eights and the man was not shy about drinking on the beer that Sarah had poured him. 

“You’re just a lightweight, doll face.” Elias slurred in return, flipping over his freshly chosen card. She went to flip him the bird, only to end up tilting into a sober Sarah’s lap, who just sighed, shaking her head. 

“Okay, I think it’s time to call it a night.” I admitted, finishing off my second glass of water. The first time that I was drunk, I had the worst hangover the next morning and from that day on, I swore that anytime I had any alcohol, I would drink at least two glasses before deciding to go to bed. Sarah helped her girlfriend to their shared room then Kevin and Drew bid us good night, the pair obviously remembering that they had some work to finish early in the morning. 

Braun and I began collecting the miscellaneous cards that had been flung across the room as Elias put away the liquor that had been brought out for our night of fun. Braun flickered his gaze over to me then muttered, “You should tell him now.” My eyebrows furrowed at his statement and I started to ask him what he meant, only for it to dawn me just seconds later. 

“What, no, that’s stupid! Why would I tell him now? He won’t remember it!” I hissed, flicking his bicep as I passed him. My tall friend raised an eyebrow and waited for a few seconds then it dawned on me- that’s what I wanted. I wanted to confide in Elias what kind of bastard AJ Styles really was but I didn’t want him to remember it because I wasn’t prepared for the questions to follow. If I told him while he was drunk, the questions would likely be put on hold at least until morning or I could get lucky and he wouldn’t remember the conversation at all the next day. Either way, it was time to come clean. 

“Elias, you asked me about the son of a bitch who came to the house today, right? Well, that’s AJ Styles, the bastard who wants my family’s farm.” I informed the curly haired man, claiming one of the stools that Sarah had brought in from outside. 

“Okay, but why does he want it so bad?” Questions were expected, especially since no one had given the poor man any insight on the past AJ and I shared, but I was aiming to give vague answers that would satisfy his curiosity. Judging by how drunk he was, I was hoping that my half assed answers would be good enough for him. I sighed and settled down at the table before I replied, “AJ and I were engaged when my grandparents died and they had it in their will that I would get the ranch no matter what. AJ thinks that even though we broke up, he deserved at least half of the place. But as long as I’m here, that’s not going to happen.” 

“Why’d you break off the engagement?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at me. Braun glanced up from where he was putting away the clean dishes then he stated, “Shoulda seen that one comin’, dove. Might as well tell him it all.” I kicked the chair beside me out from underneath the table then nodded at it, offering, “You’re gonna wanna sit for this one, it’s kinda a mind fuck.” He did as I suggested then Braun claimed the seat behind me, prepared to help me through the story that I often avoided telling people. 

“AJ and I were childhood friends. Him and his family had moved here from Georgia when we were both youngins and we got along great all through school and college. Even though he was older than me by years, he was my first love… he was a lot of my firsts. First kiss, he took me on my first date, and yeah, he took my virginity. I was 22 when I finally figured out that I wanted to take over the ranch. I had always had a passion for this place and all of the animals and responsibilities that it came with. But I also wanted to ride. Bull riding was my first love over it all and everyone who knew me well enough could acknowledge that fact. But AJ wanted me to quit and I wasn’t willing to.” 

I paused in my storytelling, taking a drink of the water that Braun slid me, then took a deep breath, preparing myself for the rest of the tale. Elias leaned forward and murmured, “Hey, you don’t have to tell me. Eventually you’ll be fully ready to talk to me about it and if tonight isn’t it-”

“No… no, it’s okay, really. I need to get this out of the way. Um, so when my grandparents died, AJ tried to convince me to give it all up so we could take care of the ranch. But when I told him no, he uh… He didn’t take it very well. He popped me right in the mouth with a slap. Told me that no wasn’t an option anymore and it was time to walk away from the riding. After that night, I agreed: no more bull riding.” 

“But it wasn’t just the thing that I loved most that he took from me: he secluded me from Kevin and Braun, told Bayley and Sarah that I was always busy with the farm. And it only got worse from there. Anytime I would refuse him on anything, he’d beat me bloody, until I was laying on the floor begging for his mercy, apologizing until that was the only thing that would come out of my mouth. One night, I finally had enough. He wanted to talk about who’s name should go on the mortgage of the ranch.”

“I told him that my name was already on it, thanks to the will. Guess that’s what happens when you have one of the best damn lawyers in the town as an old family friend. AJ wasn’t willing to take that as an answer. He decided that he needed another approach, so he tried… he tried to uh..” 

I blew out a slow breath and ducked my head between my knees, determined to get my breathing back under control before I flew into a panic attack that would decommission me for the week. Braun let a soft hand on my back then began to rub slow circles, grounding me back to the present, before he murmured, “You don’t gotta tell him the rest. I think he gets it.” I hiccuped softly as tears began to stream down my face then sat back up slowly, insisting, “No. No, I need to get this off my chest. I can do this. Just give me a minute.” 

The two men just watched me, waiting for me to say something, then I let out a sob, prepared to reveal the rest of the nightmare that my life had become years ago. I pushed my hair out of my face and said, “He tried to rape me. But he wasn’t expecting me to have my family waiting outside with Shawn for the bastard to make a move. I screamed faster and louder than anyone was expecting and before the sonuvabitch knew what the hell was going on, everyone was inside and Braun and Bayley was ready to commit murder.” 

“Shawn was gonna help us hide the fucker’s body while we were at it too.” the taller man rumbled, cracking his knuckles at the memory that flashed through our minds. 

“You’re damn right we were gonna kill that bastard.” Bayley hissed and we turned towards the hallway where my family stood. I sniffled at the statement then walked towards the group of people, Drew pulling me into a tight hug when I got in arms length. I wrapped my arms around his waist and began to cry into his shirt as my friends joined our hug. 

“Shh, it’s okay, that son of a bitch won’t ever touch you again.” Kevin assured me, cupping my face to kiss me on the forehead. It was an old technique that he and Braun often used to calm me down and admittedly, it made me feel more human. Sarah and Bayley squeezed me into one of the tightest hugs that I had received from them in a while but it was almost like they were pressuring all of the pieces that AJ had broken away from me back together once again. I was their Humpty Dumpty but this time, the King’s Knights had super glue on hand. 

I heard the chair screech behind me and I turned to face Elias, prepared for his reaction. When I had told Drew the truth behind AJ and I, the Scot tried to hunt the fucker down in the middle of the night, prepared for actual murder. But what I wasn’t expecting to see, was the curly haired man crying. 

“Elias! Don’t cry, it’s okay! It was three years ago… Really, I’m okay. I’ve got the best support system a girl could ask for and with you along for the ride, I couldn’t ask for anything more.” He sniffled and pulled me into a hug, murmuring into my hair, “I’m sorry. A person like you should never have to deal with something like this. I- I’m here for you.” I gave a small laugh and returned the hug. He had taken it significantly better than I was expecting but it made me feel so much better. He didn’t reject me because of my past. 

“Alright, I think it’s about time for us to head to bed. We’ve had a hell of a day and someone just had to reveal her tragic backstory to our young buck, so now we’re all teary eyed and blubbering.” Kevin joked, shaking his head. I poked him in the side and we all separated to our respective bedrooms. I settled underneath my blankets then turned on the lamp that sat on my desk after turning off the lights. After everything that AJ ever did, I refused to sleep in complete darkness, in fear that he would sneak in and try to do something while I was asleep. 

The next week was a bit uncomfortable because it seemed like Elias was now walking on eggshells when dealing with me. We didn’t speak much, due to me dealing with the harvest that we needed to finish. October has always been the busiest month for the ranch but even still, I figured that he would at least attempt to make conversation with me in passing. But that’s when Bayley came into play. 

“What do you mean he doesn’t want to intrude on me?” I asked, crossing my arms. Sarah and Bayley exchanged glances, uncertain on how to explain, then the longer haired woman sighed, answering, “He doesn’t want to push you to do anything. Dove, I think this guy really cares for you and he doesn’t want to fuck it up. Can’t say I blame him. Maybe you can just talk with him, tell him how you feel about the whole distancing thing.” Bayley nodded in agreement and chirped, “I know that you feel the same about him and I’m not saying that you should go out with the guy but you should at least tell him what’s going through your head.” 

“Hmm… yeah, I guess that makes sense. Hey, Bays, don’t you have to go into town today?” I asked, glancing over at my close friend. She glanced up from where she was writing something down then answered, “Yeah, why?” Pointing down at the list she had made earlier, I questioned, “That the list of things that we need?” She nodded and handed it over to me without a second thought, clearly catching onto my plan that I formulated in seconds. 

I walked out the door and scanned the yard in search of my farm hand, zeroing in on where he was chatting with Braun and Kevin beside the cattle pen. Cupping my hands around my mouth, I took a deep breath and shouted for him, snickering when he jerked his head to look at me so fast that he nearly tripped. He rushed over to me then flashed a smile as he stopped, glancing up at me. I stared at him for a moment then tipped his hat upwards, fixing it to where I could see his eyes. 

“Uh, what’s up?” he asked, clearing his throat. I gave a small cough and fidgeted with my own hat as I answered, “You and me are on errand duty. Bayley and Sarah are working on the tractors so you get a day in the town with me.” He grinned at me then chirped, “Sounds like a plan to me.” We piled into my truck and off we drove into town with our first stop being the grocery store. I glanced up at him as he grabbed a car then asked, “Do you just want to shop together or split the list and get our respective items?” 

“I think if we split up, we can get this part of the trip done with faster.” he suggested, holding his hand out for his list of items. I nodded in understanding then grabbed my own basket, prepared to zoom through the store for my objects. And it was going so well until I began heading towards our agreed meeting spot. I was walking towards the check out when I bumped into someone, my hat fluttering to the ground. 

“Hey, watch it-” Immediately I paused in my statement, freezing when those blue eyes met my steely gaze. Styles grinned at the sight of me and chirped, “Oh ho, well if it isn’t my lil dove. Where’s your guard dog, darlin’? Leave him at home to watch over the cattle?” I snatched my hat off the floor and snapped, “Not that it’s any of your business, but Elias is here with me. Now if you’ll excuse me, you slimy bastard, I have to get back home.” 

I began to walk away, only for him to grip my wrist, yanking me back to face him. I froze in his grasp then he murmured, “Good to see that ya still react like this. Now, I think it’s about time that we sit down and have a nice lil chat between the two of us, dontcha think?” I started to tremble in his hold, mind and body both failing to do anything to protect me, then someone snapped, “No, that’s not gonna happen.” AJ turned to face Elias, blue eyes now hard, then he chirped, “Well, I’ll be. She didn’t even have to whistle but the dog still came a-running to her side. She’s got you well trained, huh, young pup.” 

“That’s Elias to you, bastard. Now, let her go. I won’t ask again.” The two stared at each other then AJ lifted my arm before releasing my wrist, a small chuckle filling my ears as he backed away and he said, “I’ll see ya around, darlin’. We still need to have that chat.” And with that, Styles disappeared into the crowd of people that had surrounded us, clearly eager to see what the young buck had in him. 

Elias cupped my face then touched his forehead to my own, murmuring, “You okay there, sugar? Hey, talk to me.” I buried my face into his chest as I shook my head, eager to just disappear from sight, then muttered, “I just wanna go home. I-I just need to get out of here.” He nodded in understanding and replied, “Alright, it’s okay, just breathe with me. Let’s pay for these groceries then we can go home, okay? Come on, here, take my flannel.”

He pulled off the checkered material then draped it over my shoulders before scooping the basket out of my arms, leading me into an empty check out. He placed all of our items onto the conveyor belt then I reached for his hand, giving a quick squeeze. Elias glanced down at me and returned the squeeze, pushing the cart towards the bagging area. 

“I’m sorry about that, darlin’. I’ve been there before.” the cashier admitted in a soft tone, giving me an apologetic nod. I inched closer to Elias and mumbled, “I’m sorry that you had someone do that to you. I hope you’re out of that relationship.” He nodded and finishing bagging our items as he answered, “I am. Now I’m happily married and my husband is the best man I could ever ask for. I think you’ve got yourself a good one, if I do say so myself.” 

I glanced up at Elias and attempted to lean away from him, only for him to tug me back into his side as he chirped, “She’s my sugar, wouldn’t trade her for anyone else in this crazy world. My eyebrows furrowed then he kissed my forehead, only to turn back to the cashier to pay for our items when I gaped up at him. Elias flashed a smile to the man working the counter then chirped, “Thanks man, have a great one.” He finished putting our groceries into our cart and tugged on my hand, pulling me out of the store. 

“Hey, keys, sugar. You’re not driving, not when you’re like this. C’mon, hand ‘em over.” he encouraged, reaching his hand out for the key ring that was looped on my pants. I unhooked the clip and dropped them into the palm of his hand, climbing into the passenger seat of my truck. Seeing AJ so soon after the conversation that I had with Elias had me shook to my core and I couldn’t help the fact that I was still trembling. He quickly put the groceries in the bed of the truck and joined me in the cab, turning the engine over. 

“Elias,” I murmured, causing him to turn to me, “I asked you to come with me so we could talk about why you weren’t talking to me. I know that you don’t wanna push me. But to be honest, not talking with you is kinda killing me.” He stared at me for a while then tangled his fingers with my own before bringing it to his lips and he murmured, “Okay. Okay, I’m sorry. I won’t stop talking with you again. Promise you, sugar.” I slid closer to him and he wrapped his arm over my shoulders, pulling me into his side as he backed out of the parking lot. 

“Put your seat belt, you heathen.” Elias joked, but I did as he requested, knowing that I did need the safety mechanism on anyway. We drove down the road like that, his arm around my shoulders and my head on his chest, the sound of his heartbeat echoing around my head. We pulled into the drive and I took notice of Kevin and Braun watching us like hawks from the porch, the men clearly hiding their thoughts from their expressions. Part of me was desperate to find out what they were thinking but another part was begging me not to ask my closest friends how they felt. 

We slid out of the truck from the driver’s side then Elias nudged me towards the house, encouraging, “You go ahead, I’ve got these. Go relax, you deserve it.” I dragged my feet as I walked to the house and my oldest friends came to a stand when I approached the porch. The two knew me so damn well, I didn’t even have to say anything about what happened at the store. 

“AJ, wasn’t it?” I scratched at the back of my head and gave a timid nod, ducking my head. Braun gave a sigh and pulled me into a hug, muttering, “Bastard’s gonna catch you on the wrong day and we’re gonna be with you for it. You need a nap, kid?” I nodded and Kevin patted me on the back before he stated, “Go on in, we’ll wake you up for dinner.” 

“Those sonsabitches didn’t wake me up for dinner.” I growled when I reached the kitchen. The light was now off and a note was attached to the fridge: ‘Dove, I know we said that we were gonna wake you up for dinner, but when dinner got done, we all just kinda agreed to let you sleep. You definitely needed it. Food is in the fridge for your three am meal. See you in the morning, don’t stay up too late.’ There was miscellaneous signatures at the bottom of the note and I could faintly made each name. All of my friends had orchestrated what was supposed to be a measly fifteen minutes into a nine hour nap, something that I both loved and resented them for. I did need the sleep but now my sleep schedule was going to be seven ways of fucked for the next week. Fantastic.

I shrugged and opened the fridge, ready to eat whatever the group had wrangled together for dinner. I scanned the labels of the containers and paused when I read, ‘Dove’s Dinner for After Her Nap’. Rolling my eyes, I pulled the dinner out and removed the lid before sliding it into the microwave to reheat the mashed potatoes, barbeque chicken, and carrots that was made. I stirred them a few times every minute then pulled the container out, glancing at the clock: 2:28 in the morning. October was the perfect time for stargazing and since I was the only one awake, I could take advantage and watch as the stars glisten above my head.   
I grabbed a pop and walked out of the house, prepared to settle on the stairs of the porch, only to pause. Elias was sitting on the steps, head tilted up to the stairs as he hummed a tune that I didn’t recognize. The screen door swung shut behind me and he jerked to face me, surprise written across his face, then he smiled at my appearance. 

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty, how you feelin’?” I narrowed my eyes him then replied, “I told you guys to wake me up for dinner and instead, you let me sleep for the rest of the day. I’m annoyed.” He slid over and patted the space beside him, saying, “Yeah, but now you look better, so you’ll be okay. Come on, sit, eat, watch the stars with me.” 

I pursed my lips at him but sat down nonetheless. They did it for my own good and as annoying as my altered sleep schedule was, I couldn’t be mad at them. I settled on the step and began to eat my dinner as Elias returned to stargazing, that tune quickly returned but it wasn’t loud enough for me to try and figure out who the artist was. 

“What’s that song?” I inquired, swallowing the last of my carrots. He glanced over me and smiled then answered, “Sweet as Sugar. It’s my song, why?” I paused at the song title then set my half eaten dinner on the floor of the porch before turning to face him all the way and asked, “Sweet as Sugar? Like sugar as me?” He leaned closer and raised an eyebrow at me, murmuring, “Maybe. And if it is?” I slid even closer then mumbled, “Maybe I like that you wrote a song about me. What’s the lyrics?” 

“No lyrics yet. At least, not ones that I’m willing to give you. It’s still a work in progress but I dunno… you just make my heart sing.” he admitted, hazel eyes fluttering to meet my gaze. I smiled softly at his statement then cupped his face as I replied quietly, “Oh good, I was wondering if you felt the same. I kinda feel like our friends have been making bets on how long it would take for us to get together.” 

“They definitely have been making bets. I caught Bayley and Kevin arguing the other day over how long it would be until we held hands with each other.” Elias informed me and I snickered, shaking my head, then paused as I whispered, “I wonder if they’ve made bets over when we would kiss.” He cupped my jaw and tilted my head up to him, answering, “Oh, for sure. The sons of bitches are shameless after all.” 

“Who do you think is the closest?” Elias paused at my question then replied, “I don’t know. We won’t know until we kiss, ‘member?” I blinked up at him and tangled my hand in his shirt, pulling him closer until our noses brushed, then asked, “Are you going to kiss me then, young buck?” 

“As soon as you tell me to, sugar. I’m not doing anything without your permission.” My chest ached at his statement and I murmured, “In that case, Elias, would you please kiss me?” He cupped the other side of my face and pulled me to him, kissing me softly. My lips parted and I sighed into his mouth, delighted in the tenderness that he offered, then he backed away. 

“Wait, where are you going?” I asked as he stood up. Elias glanced over his shoulder and replied, “I’m going to bed. You’re going to finish eating your food then you’re going to bed. And in the morning, I’m taking you out for breakfast as our first date. Sound good?” I stared after him wordlessly, stunned that he could be so suave after kissing me, then began to finish eating my dinner, only to pause when I heard a quiet whoop. I squinted through the crack of the front door and snickered when I saw the man I just kissed doing a ridiculous dance, pumping his fist into the air. Ahh, so he wasn’t as unaffected as I thought he was. 

Elias was someone who I wasn’t expecting to come along and simultaneously fix and shake up my world, but I couldn’t have been happier to find someone who fit the missing piece of my life puzzle so well. For years, I was unsure on whether I would ever find someone who could fix the damage that AJ Styles had caused me, but now that I had this young buck? I was more than certain that life was looking up.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm also on Tumblr under helplessly-nonstop if you want to go check me out there!


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